The huarache de steak ($3.95) at Fonda Doña Maria (120 Tidwell, 713-695-5540) could be the original “sole food,” since “huarache” means “sandal” in Spanish and perfectly describes the shape of the thick piece of hand-thrown masa that forms the bottom layer of this dish. The masa is thick enough to be eaten with your hands, but you run the risk of spilling it if you make even one small slip-up. The masa is covered in refried beans, then finely sliced lettuce, fajita meat, the Mexican cheese known as queso fresco, tomato pieces and, finally, sour cream. It’s like eating a combination plate in one easy-to-handle package.
This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2007.